On December 23rd 2012 we commemorate a year since the usurpation of the istorical premises
of the FLA (Libertarian Federation of Argentina) on Brasil street 1551, of the city of
Buenos Aires. ---- Then, a new group CNA (Anarchist Black Cross, Buenos Aires) and a
couple of old opportunists, using a delirious ideological purism as their excuse, decided
that most of the militants who had always worked there could enter no longer, and
ARBITRARILY CHANGED THE LOCK OF THE HOUSE. They lied and defamed as much as they could in
order to justify their POLICE-LIKE decision. They have denied the existence of the
activities, they’ve tried to erase all the happy moments shared in the MERENDERO and AFTER
SCHOOL HELP from the collective memory of the neighbourhood.

They have distorted all the educational achievements of the school for young people and
adults, ELC (Escuela Libre de Constitucion) which gives those excluded by
the educational system the opportunity to conclude their studies. It is a
school bases on self-management, cooperativism, and mutual aid.

A year has passed and the balance is completely negative. We have well
funded reasons to suspect that they are discarding, destroying and selling
books and archive material. The usurpers have stated clearly in several
notes, that their libraries will be doctrinaire and dogmatic. These
characters ignore that the old militants of the house have always had the
criteria of building open libraries, which overcome the doctrine, and that
many of the books and documents which are there have been placed there by
those old militants. They might not ignore it, but their dogmatic
blindness, and some information we’ve received leave us no doubt that the
material purge has already started.

They decide who enters to the few activities that take place now in the
house of the FLA arrogating themselves the POWER to decide who is
anarchist and who isn’t, using the house and material within as though it
were their private property.

A year after this sectarian blow we have maintained our forces in order to
continue building. We recognise this blow has been important, it implied
that the Escuela Libre de Constitucion has had no fixed place to work in,
and the Merendero group has had to spend all winter in the park. But
perhaps more importantly, it was a hard and painful strike emotionally,
which goes beyond us and covers the whole movement. It appears when we try
to understand and explain how it is possible that those who have
undertaken this purely authoritarian action which openly rejects Assembly
practises, continue to call themselves anarchists.

However these blows have not stopped us, and we have been able to continue
each of our activities. We have finished the year with a new group of
graduates in the Escuela Libre de Constitucion, and Merendero continues
every Saturday as it has for the last 10 years. Recognising ourselves
within our ideas and practises, and verifying the distance that places us
away from those who need at all times to show-off symbols in their
clothing, and icons in order to conceal (or not) their clear opportunist,
militarist and authoritarian essence, has made us stronger. But, moreover,
we received and are grateful for the support from comrades in Argentina,
South America, and the federations that make-up the IFA (International
Federation of Anarchists) who understood clearly the situation and of
which we shall continue to be part. A year after these events, we see
things more clearly in spire of the pain, and it allows us to see and warn
others about how the "black dogmatism" can quickly become
authoritarianism.

The house of the FLA continues to be private, but we know, that sooner or
later, it will be Anarchist and Libertarian again.

>From the Federacion Libertaria Argentina we make a calling to all of those
who want to continue building a Social, Autonomous and Federate Anarchism,
to participate in our activities or create new ones.

Federación Libertaria Argentina, December 23rd 2012

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To support the the FLA, you can write to the IFA (International of
Anarchist Federations) sending your checks (drafted in the name of SEL,
mention “FLA” in verso) :